How to Explain to Children How Trees and Plants Grow
It's common for young children to be curious about the world around them. Many aspects of the natural world that adults rarely think about are intriguing and exciting to kids. As a parent, you can capitalize on your child's natural curiosity to teach valuable lessons about how trees and plants grow.
Things You'll Need
- Children's books about plants, trees and gardening
- Potted plants
- Beans, nuts and other plant seeds
- Fruits and vegetables that contain seeds
- Paper towels
- Self-sealing plastic bag
- Tape
Instructions
Read children's books about seeds, plants and trees to introduce the life cycle of a plant. Check your local library or book store for literature on the subject. Choose children's books that explain how plants and trees grow thoroughly using clear words and detailed pictures. Point out the soil in a potted plant and explain that the roots of the plant are in the soil. Ask your child questions about the plant such as if he's seen it anywhere else, what it looks like and what it smells like. Explain that the plant started out as a seed and grew into a plant over time. Explain that seeds are like baby plants, and that they need water to grow. Detail how most seeds begin growing in the dark because they are in soil, but that they will need light to continue growing once they break through the soil. Present various types of seeds to your child. Allow your child to examine each one closely. Challenge your child to see if he can guess what kind of plant the seeds come from. Name the different seeds for your child. Explain how trees and plants grow over time. Describe how plants grow from seedlings into adult plants. Introduce flowers as the part of plants that produce seeds if they are pollinated. Tell your child about the different ways seeds get dispersed in nature including by wind, by different animals and through water travel. Investigate different fruits and vegetables that have seeds inside. Explain that they grow from the flowers of different plants and trees. Detail how new plants and trees grow as fruits and vegetables fall to the ground and disperse their seeds. Engage your child in an activity that demonstrates how seeds grow into plants. Choose seeds such as corn, lima beans or sunflowers that germinate easily. Soak the seeds in water overnight, then place them inside a moist paper towel. Put the paper towel containing the seeds in to a self-sealing plastic bag. Seal the bag and tape it to a window. Encourage your child to observe the seeds as they start to grow. Point out the roots, stem and tiny leaves as they appear. Once the seeds sprout, help your child plant them in the ground and see if they grow.
